Single trigger mechanism for double-barrel guns



Nov. 26, 1957 J. w. ANDERSON 2,814,143

SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE-BARREL GUNS Filed Aug. 3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

J W'. ANDERSON AGENT I Nov. 26, 1957 J. w. ANDERSON 2,814,143

SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM'IFOR DOUBLE-BARREL GUNS Filed Aug. 3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JBYW. ANDERSON W/W AGENT SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE-BARREL GUNs Jacob W. Anderson, Kettle River, Application August 3, 1953, Serial No. 371,836

4 Claims. (Cl. 4242) This invention relates to guns and has special reference to a single trigger mechanism for breech loading double barrelled guns.

Double barrelled shotguns are usually provided with a different choke in each barrel to provide the shooter with either a tight or an open pattern of shot, at his choice, to fit either a distant or a close shot, respectively. Usually, in hunting, the open pattern barrel is fired first for the game is closest to the shooter then, and the tight pattern barrel is fired second, after the. first shot is fired and the game has flown or run further away from the shooter. Many double barrel shotguns, especially the less expensive ones, have two triggers for discharging the gun, one for each barrel, and the shooter must pull one or the other of the triggers depending on which barrel he wishes to fire. It is difiicult, however, for many shooters to accustom themselves to proper operation of the two triggers, and quite frequently, both barrels are fired at the same time, imparting a double-strength and uncomfortable recoil to the shooters shoulder.

It has been less expensive in manufacture to provide a separate trigger for each barrel of a double-barrelled gun and therefore only the more expensive guns have been provided with single trigger mechanisms. Some of these single trigger mechanisms which have been made and patented, especially the least expensive ones, have not been selective so as to permit the shooter to fire either barrel he wishes first making it mandatory that he fire the open pattern barrel first and the tight pattern barrel second. g

In other words, shooters have not as yet been provided with an inexpensive double gun having a selective single trigger mechanism which will permit them to fire either of the barrels first and which will automatically set itself to fire the other barrel second. It is one of my principal objects to provide such a mechanism which may be provided in a relatively inexpensive gun.

Another object is to provide such a device which has a minimum of parts, which parts will not require any great amount of machining.

Another more specific object is to provide an efiicient single trigger mechanism for double guns which may be readily shifted by hand to fire the barrels successively in either order, or which may be used for firing either barrel continuously if desired.

Another object is to provide such a device which is automatically reset each time the breach is opened for reloading.

Another object is to provide for faster shooting of both barrels of a double barrelled gun.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Fig. l is a fragmental side elevational view of a double barrelled gun with its stock removed to show the parts of my single trigger mechanism. The breech opening 7 2,814,143 Patented Nov. 26, 1957 2 lever is shown as moved to one side as it is after the gun has been opened and is being closed, resetting the trigger mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a view. similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the trigger being pulled, or firing the right barrel of the gun,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the gun after both barrels have been fired and before opening of the breech. I i

Fig. 4 is a side e'levational view of the trigger member showing the trigger slide.

Fig. 5 is a top view of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 5. I g V Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the selector button member.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the left lift plate and latch.

Fig. 9 is a side view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a side view of the right lift plate and latch.

Fig. 11 is a side view of the push arm.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates the frame of breech mechanism of a double barrel shotgun, and 2 indicates the left barrel thereof. The gun hasa right barrel, not shown, and hammer mechanism which is conventional and is not here shown in order to simplify the disclosure. The hammer mechanism, notshown is conventionally operated by the sears 3 and 4, the sear 3 being the left and the sear 4 being the right, to fire the left and right barrels of the gun respectively. The sears 3 and 4 are lifted to cause their respective barrels to be fired by the trigger assembly to be described.

The numeral 5 indicates the major trigger member which includes the finger grip 6, and is pivotally carried by the pin 7 extending through openings in the mounting lug 8 (on the inner portion of the frame 1) and through the opening 9 in the trigger member. The grip portion 6 of the trigger extends outwardly of the frame through a suitable opening in the frame not shown, so it will operate in a conventional manner.

The trigger member 5 has a suitable opening 10 in which the selector button member 11 is laterally reciprocably carried, the member 11 having a button portion 12 which may be extended from either side of the grip portion 6 of the member 5 by pushing against same with ones fingers. The selector member 11 has a pair of spaced indentations or dimples 13 thereon into which the spring lock member 14 is engaged when the button is in either of its adjusted positions. The member 14 is carried in an opening 15 extending through the trigger 6 and in communication with the opening 10, and is biased by the spring 16 toward engagement with the selector member. The spring 16 is carried in the opening 15 and is held in place by a threaded cap 17, also in the opening 15.

It is to be noted that the trigger member 5 is pivotally mounted adjacent its forward end and that the rear end of the trigger member 5 has an enlargement, or head, 18 thereon. The head 18 has a longitudinal slot 19 therein adjacent to the upper edge thereof to receive the trigger slide 20, the trigger slide being reciprocable within the slot or channel 19, the reason for which will become apparent. The forward end of the trigger slide is preferably bent upwardly as that of 21, the reason for which will become apparent.

The trigger member 5 has a relatively narrow body portion as shown in Fig. 5, and on each side of the body portion of the member 5 a lift plate is carried, the left lift plate being member 22 and the right lift plate being member 23. The lift plates are pivotally carried on the pin 7, the same pin on which the trigger member 5 is pivotally carried. Both lift plates are similar except that their mechanism is in reverse order to accomplish a left and right operation. Each lift plate has a latch member pivotally carried thereon as by the pin 24, the left latch being member 25 and the right latch being member 26. A suitable spring not shown, may be used to bias the latches 25 and 26 rearwardly with their upper hooked ends toward the trigger slide 20. The trigger slide coacts with the hooked ends of the latches 25 and 26 to fire the gun.

The selector button 12 controls, or governs, which barrel of the gun will be fired first when the trigger 6 is pulled rearwardly and thus the rear end of the member is raised within the receiver frame 1 of the gun. This control is exercised by the lateral shifting of the selector button, the latter having a lug 27 thereon which extends outwardly of and beyond the body-portion 5 as shown in Fig. 5 to engage the lower edge 28 of either the left or the right lift plate, depending on the, side to which the selector button is extended. Thus it will be seen that if the selector button is pressed so as to extend to the right side of the body portion of the member 5, the right lift plate will be raised simultaneously with and by'the pivoting of the member 5 by pulling the trigger. the selector button is pressed so as to extend to the left of the member 5 the left lift plate will be raised or pivoted when the trigger is pulled.

Each of the lift plates has a lug 30 extending laterally therefrom on its outer side whereby its corresponding sear will engage the lug 30 and will be raised with the lift plate when the trigger is pulled to fire the gun. Thus it is deemed apparent that the shifting of the selector button to the right will cause the right sear to be raised when the trigger is pulled, and when the selector button is pulled to the left the left sear will be raised when the trigger is pulled. As is well known, the lifting or raising of the sear will cause the hammer mechanism to be released and one barrel of the gun will be discharged.

The firing of the second barrel of the gun employs other mechanism of the gun, including the safety push rod 31 which is operated when the lever '32 is operated to open the gun for loading. Push lever 31 automatically pushes the safety lever 33 to safe position when the gun is opened and closed for loading This structure and arm for opening and closing the gun as well as for automatically putting the gun in safe position, is conventional.

However, I mount my trigger slide push arm 34 on the rod 31 and hold it in place thereon by means of suitable pins 55 so that the arm will operate with the rod 31.

The push arm 34 has a slot 35 therein which is engaged around the safety pivot pin 36. This mounting of the push arm 34 insures stability thereof and yet permits its reciprocation as above pointed out when required. The push arm 34 has a cam surface 38 thereon which extends very close to the trigger slide 30, and extends upwardly and forwardly above the trigger slide, as shown, as may be seen in Fig. 2, the trigger slide engages the cam surface 38 as the trigger is pulled and the head member 18 is raised as the first barrel is fired. The engagement of the slide on the cam surface causes the slide to be pushed forwardly. A spring 39, shown in Fig. 3, returns the member 5 and lift plate to normal, or lower, position when the trigger is released and as the member 5 returns to normal position the forward end of the trigger slide trips the latches and 26 forwardly so that it may .pass thereby. This is caused because the trigger slide has been pushed forwardly. After the trigger member 5 has reached its lower-most position the hooked members of the latches 25 and 26 engage over the forward end of the trigger slide, due to their being pressed forwardly, as is pointed out. Thus, upon the next pull of the trigger both lift plates 22 and 23 will be raised, or pivoted, with the trigger member and. the sear which was not already raised, will be raised to fire the other barrel of the gun. The trigger slide is held in its forwardly extended position after it has been movedforwardly by the cam surface .38 by means of a suitable plunger-spring-cap arr-angement suggested atAO, which is similar to the plunger 141, spring 16 and cap 17 previously described. It is de- Likewise, if i sired to hold the trigger slide in its forward position to insure the firing ofthe second barrel by raising both of the lift plates together as above described.

When both barrels of the gun have been fired, it is necessary to remove the fired shells and insert new unfired shells before the gun can be discharged again. The reloading procedure is .conventional, of course, in that the lever 32 is moved sideways to open the breech, and simultaneously with the opening of the breech the safety 33 is moved rearward to prevent'accidental firing of the gun as is conventional. As the rod 31 moves rearwardly to put the gun in safe position, the push arm 34 is moved rearwardly therewith, the opening at 35 permitting this reciprocation of the push arm.

The push arm has a reset hook member 41 extending from the lower end of the cam surface 38. The hook member is of very substantially U-shape and extends into a suitable longitudinal slot 42 in the head 18 and has its forward end 43 engaged in an opening 44 in the trigger slide. This arrangement automatically returns the trigger slide 20 to its rearward position when the gun is opened for reloading, because of the rearward movement'of the resetting hook member 41 as above pointed out.

Thus it may be seen that if just one barrel of the gun is fired the trigger slide is moved forwardly when the trigger is pulled, however, if the gun were opened to remove the single discharged shell and to insert a new shell in its place, the trigger slide 20 would be returned to rearward position and the same barrel could be fired again before the other barrel were fired, unless the selector button were moved laterally in its opening 10 to engage the opposite lift plate.

It is deemed obvious that only one barrel can be fired at a time, with my improved single trigger mechanism. It is also deemed apparent that the two barrels may be fired successively in rapid sequence because of the use of a single trigger.

It is also deemed apparent that a relatively simple operation of shifting the selector button will permit the shooter to select which barrel he wishes to fire first, and that the device will be reset immediately when the breech is opened for reloading.

It is to be understood that I have herein shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention and that my apparent claims are not necessarily limited thereto.

'Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A trigger mechanism for a double barrel gun comprising a trigger member, a lift plate carried at each side of said trigger member, said trigger member and lift plates being pivotally mounted adjacent the hammer release mechanism of said gun, a selector member carried by said trigger member and being movable to engage either one of said lift plates, whereby the shifting of said selector member will govern which of the barrels of said gun will be first discharged when said trigger member is operated, and means operated as said trigger member is moved to connect the other of said lift plates to said trigger member for movement therewith whereby the second movement of said trigger member will cause the other of said barrels to be discharged, said means comprising a movable slide carried by said trigger member, a latch member on each of said lift plates to engage said slide, and a cam member carried by said gun adjacent said slide to cause shifting of said slide to engage said latch members upon the first movement of said trigger member when discharging said gun.

2. A trigger mechanism for a double barrel gun having a hammer release member for each of its barrels comprising: a triggermember pivotally mounted on said gun, a lift plate pivotally carried at each side of said trigger member one adjacent each of and engageable with its respective one of said release members, and a selector member carried by said trigger member and being movable to engage either one of said lift plates to cause same to be moved when said trigger member is moved whereby the shifting of said selector member will govern which of the barrels of said gun will be first discharged when said trigger member is operated, a movable slide carried by said trigger member, a latch member on each of said lift plates to engage said slide when in one of its shifted positions, and a cam member carried by said gun adjacent said slide to cause the movement of said slide to engage said latch members upon the first movement of said trigger member when discharging one of the barrels of said gun, whereby both of said lift plates will be moved upon the second movement of said trigger member and the other barrel of said gun will be discharged.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 2 and means of returning said slide member to normal position when said gun is opened for reloading.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 747,191 Lard Dec. 15, 1903 802,314 Price Oct. 17, 1905 2,052,957 Wareham Sept. 1, 1936 2,361,510 Stout Oct. 31, 1944 

